Turning 27 may be terrifying for some, but for Alex, a struggling artist living in the midwestern United States, it is cataclysmic. Inheriting a huge expanse of land should have made him a rich and happy man; but something about this birthday, his name, and the beautiful woman whose life he just saved, has suddenly made him - and everyone he loves - into a target.

The Third Kingdom: Richard and Kahlan, Book 2

"Three knives were buried up to their brass cross guards in the man's chest. Richard recognized the knife handles. All three were the style carried by the men of the First File. He looked from those blades that should have killed the big man, up to his face. That was when he realized the true horror of the situation, and the reason for the unbearable stench of death." Sequel to the #1 New York Times best seller The Omen Machine.

The Omen Machine: A Richard and Kahlan Novel

An accident leads to the discovery of a mysterious machine that has rested hidden deep underground for countless millennia. The machine awakens to begin issuing a series of increasingly alarming, if minor, omens. The omens turn out to be astonishingly accurate, and ever more ominous. As Zedd tries to figure out how to destroy the sinister device, the machine issues a cataclysmic omen involving Richard and Kahlan, foretelling an impending event beyond anyone’s ability to stop. As catastrophe approaches, the machine then reveals that it is within its power to withdraw the omen....

Debt of Bones

A milestone of storytelling set in the world of The Sword of Truth, Debt of Bones is the story of young Abby's struggle to win the aid of the wizard Zedd Zorander, the most important man alive. Abby is trapped, not only between both sides of the war, but in a mortal conflict between two powerful men. For Zedd, who commands power most men can only imagine, granting Abby's request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. With the storm of the final battle about to save the life of a child....

Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 3, Sword of Truth, Book 11

Descending into darkness, about to be overwhelmed by evil, those people still free are powerless to stop the coming dawn of a savage new world, while Richard faces the guilt of knowing that he must let it happen. Alone, he must bear the weight of a sin he dare not confess to the one person he loves...and has lost.

Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 1, Sword of Truth, Book 9

As Richard fought to focus his mind on his need to remain conscious, the breathless voices sounded to him as if they were coming from some great, dim distance. He wasn't sure who they were. He knew that he knew them, but right then it just didn't seem to matter. He struggled to put voice to his burning concern, but he couldn't form the words, couldn't get out any more than a gasping moan.

Naked Empire: Sword of Truth, Book 8

"'You knew they were there, didn't you?' Kahlan asked in a hushed tone as she leaned closer. Against the darkening sky, she could just make out the shapes of three black-tipped races taking to wing, beginning their nightly hunt. That was why he'd stopped. That was what he'd been watching as the rest of them waited in uneasy silence."

The Pillars of Creation: Sword of Truth, Book 7

Tormented her entire life by inhuman voices, Jennsen seeks to end her intolerable agony. She at last discovers a way to silence the voices. For everyone else, the torment is about to begin. Richard Rahl and his wife, Kahlan, have been reunited after their long separation, but with winter descending and the paralyzing dread of an army of annihilation occupying their homeland, they must venture deep into a strange and desolate land.

The First Confessor: The Legend of Magda Searus

Married to the powerful leader of her people, safe among those gifted with great ability, Magda Searus is protected from a distant world descending into war. But when her husband, a man who loved life and loved her, unexpectedly commits suicide, she suddenly finds herself alone. Because she is ungifted herself, without her husband she no longer has standing among her people, and she finds herself isolated in a society that seems to be crumbling around her.

Faith of the Fallen: Sword of Truth, Book 6

A Sister of the Dark captures Richard and takes him deep into the Old World, to the very heart of the Order, while his beloved Kahlan remains behind. Free because of Richard's sacrifice for her, but unwilling to abandon the cause of the Midlands, Kahlan violates not only prophecy but her last pledge to Richard and raises an army against the advancing horde of the Imperial Order.

Soul of the Fire: Sword of Truth, Book 5

Now it has become terrifyingly clear that the Chimes have the potential to bring down all that Richard and Kahlan have worked to protect, and even the power of the Sword of Truth may not be enough to stem the tide of their unleashed magical force. But if the Chimes cannot be stopped, first they will ravage Richard and Kahlan, then all of D'Hara, and then the entire world.

Temple of the Winds: Sword of Truth, Book 4

The dangerous, fanatical Imperial Order, under the leadership of the power-mad Emperor Jagang and his multitude of demonic underlings, unleashes a deadly plague. To find a cure, Richard Cypher and his beloved Kahlan Amnell must seek out the legendary Temple of the Winds, a fortress of evil sealed away for three thousand years. But the path of the Seeker of Truth is never an easy one - even if he can reach the Temple at all, there is no guarantee he'll ever return.

Stone of Tears: Sword of Truth, Book 2

The veil to the underworld has been torn, and Rahl, from beyond the veil, begins to summon a sinister power more dreadful than any he has wielded before. Horrifying creatures escape through the torn veil, wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting world above.

Blood of the Fold: Sword of Truth, Book 3

In a fantasy world as rich and real as our own, Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell stand against the ancient forces which besiege the New World - forces so terrible that when last they threatened, they could only be withstood by sealing off the Old World from whence they came. Now the barrier has been breached, and the New World is again beset by their evil power.

Wizard's First Rule: Sword of Truth, Book 1

In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, Richard Cypher encounters a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, in his forest sanctuary. She seeks his help...and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence.

The Darkling Child: The Defenders of Shannara

After taking up his enchanted sword against the dark sorcerer Arcannen, Paxon Leah has become the sworn protector of the Druid order. Now a critical hour is at hand, as a beloved High Druid nears the end of her reign and prepares to pass from the mortal world to the one beyond. There is little time for Paxon to mourn his friend and benefactor before duty summons him. For in a distant corner of the Four Lands, the magic of the wishsong has been detected.

Fool's Quest: Book II of the Fitz and the Fool trilogy

The harrowing adventures of FitzChivalry Farseer and his enigmatic friend, the Fool, continue in Robin Hobb's triumphant follow-up to Fool's Assassin. But Fool's Quest is more than just a sequel. With the artistry and imagination her fans have come to expect, Hobb builds masterfully on all that has gone before, revealing devastating secrets and shocking conspiracies that cast a dark shadow over the history of Fitz and his world - a shadow that now stretches to darken all future hope.

The Shadow of What Was Lost: The Licanius Trilogy, Book 1

It has been 20 years since the end of the war. The dictatorial Augurs, once thought of almost as gods, were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs' fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion's Four Tenets.

Thinblade: Sovereign of the Seven Isles, Book 1

When second son Alexander Valentine loses his brother to an assassin's arrow, he discovers that his family protects an ancient secret and reluctantly finds himself at the center of the final battle of a war that was supposed to have ended two thousand years ago. Pursued by the dark minions of an ancient enemy, Alexander flees to the mountain city of Glen Morillian where he discovers that he is the heir to the throne of Ruatha, one of the Seven Isles, but before he can claim the throne he must recover the ancient Thinblade.

A Crucible of Souls: The Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, Book 1

When Caldan’s parents are brutally slain, he is raised by monks and taught the arcane mysteries of sorcery. Vowing to discover for himself who his parents really were, and what led to their violent end, he is thrust into the unfamiliar chaos of city life. With nothing to his name but a pair of mysterious heirlooms and a handful of coins, he must prove his talent to earn an apprenticeship with a guild of sorcerers. But he soon learns the world outside the monastery is a darker place than he ever imagined, and his treasured sorcery has disturbing depths. As a shadowed evil manipulates the unwary and forbidden powers are unleashed, Caldan is plunged into an age-old conflict that brings the world to the edge of destruction.

Sovereign Stone: Sovereign of the Seven Isles, Book 2

After gaining entrance to Blackstone Keep and recovering the legendary Thinblade, Alexander must seek out the Sovereign Stone, and quickly. Contained within the ancient teardrop ruby is the secret of Wizard's Dust, the source of magic and the one thing that will ultimately decide the final battle of the Reishi War. Prince Phane will stop at nothing to lay claim to the Stone and with it the world.

The Sword of Shannara: The Shannara Series, Book 1

Long ago, the wars of the ancient Evil ruined the world. In peaceful Shady Vale, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford knows little of such troubles. But the supposedly dead Warlock Lord is plotting to destroy everything in his wake. The sole weapon against this Power of Darkness is the Sword of Shannara, which can be used only by a true heir of Shannara. On Shea, last of the bloodline, rests the hope of all the races.

Mindbender: Sovereign of the Seven Isles, Book 3

War has erupted across the Seven Isles. Alexander has recovered the Sovereign Stone, and much to his surprise, it has bonded to him, revealing the truth of his bloodline and his duty. He is the Seventh Sovereign of the Seven Isles and champion of the Old Law. Fleeing the wrath of Prince Phane, Alexander has traveled through the Reishi Gate to Ithilian in search of an alliance, only to discover that Ithilian is facing the threat of invasion as well.

Publisher's Summary

A publishing event: number-one New York Times best-selling author Terry Goodkind turns in a new direction and delivers a stunningly original thriller.

Turning 27 may be terrifying for some, but for Alex, a struggling artist living in the midwestern United States, it is cataclysmic. Inheriting a huge expanse of land should have made him a rich and happy man; but something about this birthday, his name, and the beautiful woman whose life he just saved, has suddenly made him - and everyone he loves - into a target. A target for extreme and uncompromising violence.

In Alex, Terry Goodkind brings to life a modern hero in a whole new kind of high-octane thriller.

If this book didn't have ties to the "Sword of Truth" series it would be a complete waste of time. Only "Sword of Truth" followers will pick up on the references in this book that make it somewhat interesting. If you haven't read,listened to, the "S.O.T" series, don't waste a credit.

I am currently 6 hours into the book. It is keeping me on the edge of my seat so far. I am looking forward to listening more. I am a bit surprised that it is not advertised for what it is, but I don't want to give anything away. ;)

Overall a great listen. This book is a little different from Terry Goodkind's other books of this series. Whereas the other books take place in a fantasy world, this book returns back to the "real" world and links it to the previous books, which is very intriguing and something i never expected. Great job, looking forward to the next book in the series.

I glanced at a few reviews and had to give those of you who are fans of Terry, but not yet ready to get the Law of Nines, a review for the positive. Although most fans of Terry will probable get this one anyways...

The last series just built and built in intensity. Coming off that peak and to start over with this one probable makes this one appear more dull? I can't wait to see how it escalades. It still has the classic - "How the helk is he going to get out of this one" suspense. The last one I thought ended on a very powerful message. I can see this one taking that message and applying it to our current world.
Just remember this is fantasy and magic, so don't expect everything to seem "real." Like Richard, Alex has redeeming qualities in his character that can be admired.

I read and liked the first few books of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. The series lost me around "Naked Empire" when it swerved into long political monologues--that's not what I read fantasy books for!--but the first books were fun.

The Law of Nines brought back the enjoyment of "Wizard's First Rule." There's a lot of action, and while the first third of the book is slower than the rest of the novel, it isn't boring. And some of the scenes there are pretty amusing: imagine explaining what Goth teenagers are to someone from another world!

Along with the nonstop action for the last two thirds of the book, there are some intriguing thoughts about magic and technology. There's one political monologue, but it isn't too long and Goodkind thankfully keeps it mostly within the bounds of the story.

If I have one complaint, it's that action scenes are sometimes too drawn-out. I knew what was going to happen, but the characters didn't, so I had to wait.

Overall, though, The Law of Nines was a fun listen. You'll like it if you liked the Sword of Truth series--if you're not already a fan, try this and you might become one.

Potential Spoilers: I fell in love with the Sword of Truth series when I picked up Wizards First Rule on a whim. The book was so excellently written, the characters entrancing and engaging, and the storyline engrossing. The magic of the series was further established with Stone of Tears, and I was hooked. I even loved the ending Chainfire trilogy, and was happy with the way Goodkind left the world.

On that note, Goodkind should have left well enough alone. The only reason anyone should pick up The Law of Nines is if they were really big fans of the Sword of Truth series. The writing in Nines is poor, and far from the standard that Goodkind set forth in his earlier works. The plot is haphazard, with characters doing things for seemingly no reason, and the characters themselves are flat. And Goodkind is once again riding on his preachy high horse -; those who read Faith of the Fallen, Pillars of Creation, and Naked Empire know exactly what I'm talking about. This preachy nature was so bad early in the book that I almost deleted the book from my library with prejudice. It was only my sick curiosity to see the end that drew me forward.

All in all, The Law of Nines can best be described as Wizards First Rule, minus magic and compelling characters, but with a healthy dose of moral and ethical preaching which far exceeds Goodkind's previous rants.

The bottom line: don't get this book unless you are a HUGE Sword of Truth fan.

Boring, predictable, slow. Only one story line. Seems like he wrote the story stream of consciousness - like he didn't know where he was going with the story. He found his characters in a situation and then just decided what might happen next. Juvenile writing.

First there will be some spoilers: This story if defiantly NOT one of Terry Goodkind's best, but not the worst either. This story is a plot line from the Sword of Truth and the main characters are associated by blood with Richard and Kahlan. Unlike the Sword of Truth, which the first book grabbed a listener into the world of Richard and Kahlan, the Law of Nines is like the Cherokee that Alex (one of the main characters of the book) drives, the engine turns over and over and is hard to start and get going. The story in this book is like that, the main story takes a lot of chapters to really get going and make for a difficult and slow listen to. I found myself just listing to the narrator's voice and not paying a lot of attention to the story itself. Once the story gets going the over all story line has promise it just was not fulfilled in this book. I read somewhere that this series will be a 3 book series, but with Terry it might turn out to be a 10 book one instead. I hope if there is another book or 3 that the story of Alex Rahl and Jax Amnell takes off better, there is promise in the story line. As far a purchasing this book, I would have to say if you can rent it from your local library and save your money for something else, if you must hear it and have to own it, then know you are going to consider this as a mid-level, get you through to the next good book on audio that you buy. I wish I just went and rented it from my local library then spend a credit on it. I like the Sword of Truth series (even if the series should have concluded 4 books earlier) I was taken by Richard, Kahlan, and Zed as characters and the over all plot line, but this story of Alex Rahl & Jax Amnell has to grown on me more before I find myself really connecting with the characters like I did with Sword of Truth or Robert Jordon's Wheel of Time (Mat, Perrin, and Rhand). So if Terry reads this review I would say; Good try, but needs more work.

This book is a continuation of Wizards First Rule. A series of 12 outstanding books available right underneath this one at audible. The best series I've downloaded in 7 years. If you have read those you know exactly who these people are and where they are from. I'm hoping it's the beginning of a new series. Not quite done with it yet. Audible should tell you that. Unless you read the others all these artifacts won't make any sense. Alex is related to a great wizard in her world and doesn't know it. She is a mother confessor in that world. In the long past history of her world her and his counterparts were married lovers who euled that world. Jeff

Very well narrated. Interesting plot reminiscent of Terminator 2. Plot and characters were well developed. Some of the speeches tended to go on for a long time and were repititious. Overall I enjoyed listening but it was a little juvenile.

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